Cottage cheese bread

October 16

Some people gaze around them and see wonderful spring blossoms. I look and see nothing but misery. It's that time of the year when every lovely blossom, every wand of grass harbours the enemy - pollen.

I've been a hay fever sufferer for years, but have managed to keep the worst at bay with daily antihistamine medication. But even that was not enough for the worst Christchurch could turn on last week. For days now I have been shedding tears, taking the pills, using the drops and continuing to suffer.

Three days of rain dampened things down a bit, but still the itching continues. The pharmacist tells me I might just have to put up with it for weeks to come. It seems the geography of the place, the dry climate and the prevailing winds help deposit masses of pollen round this, the Garden City. Pollen from the grain crops, pollen from the garden. I can hardly bear to think about it.

Fortunately while grass pollen mightn't agree with me, I have no trouble with cereal in my diet and I enjoy making various breads.

I bought a breadmaker several years ago and like experimenting. Today's recipe is for a loaf I made at the weekend. I used golden syrup in this loaf. It's like a light golden treacle but more delicately flavoured and it's a by product of sugar. Corn syrup can be used as a substitute or, in this recipe, sugar.

Cottage Cheese and Linseed Loaf

2 teaspoons dried yeast granules
1 teaspoon golden syrup or sugar
3 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons linseeds
1/2 cup cottage cheese (I used cottage cheese with chives)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese
1 cup warm water

Place the ingredients in breadmaker in the order given and press start.